Transparent tackle box



Jan. 20, 1970 J. B. TWEED TRANSPARENT TACKLE BOX Filed Oct. 20, 1967 John B. Tweed INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,490,169 TRANSPARENT TACKLE BOX John B. Tweed, Marshall, N.C., assignor of fifty percent to Emmett W. Plemmons, Marshall, N.C. Filed Oct. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 676,967 Int. Cl. A01k 97/06 US. Cl. 43-57.5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This pocket-size tackle box is partially unique because its parts are made of crystal-clear plastic material. The base or tray section is compartmented for diversified accessories and supplies. The cover section is hinged and comprises a hollow compartmented case. The small compartments constitute guides for slidingly mounted drawers for split-shot sinkers, hooks, small items and the like. One end compartment is provided with spools of nylon lines whose free ends are withdrawable through friction-retaining holes.

This invention relates to a sectional tackle box whose sections are made of a suitable grade of clear plastic material and wherein the bottom or base section provides a shallow tray having pockets or compartments for diversified supplies and wherein the top section is hinged to serve as a cover section and is fashioned into a compartmented case for viewable storage of small items such as sinkers, fishhooks, swivels and the like.

More particularly, the general objective of this inven tion is to provide a multipurpose tackle box which will appeal to an angler because it can be appropriately and fittingly carried in a readily available pocket in his jacket and which can be withdrawn and its contents checked for ready accessibility and selective use.

Briefly the herein disclosed tackle box is characterized, generally speaking, by a pair of companion sections, namely, a base section and a complemented top or cover section. The base section embodies a bottom wall, front and rear longitudinal walls and transverse end Walls intercooperating partitions and defines and provides a plurality of pocket-like accessory compartments for accessible is of hollow form and is herein defined as a case and is of a size to span and close the open top of the tray or base section. This case is unique in that it embodies a bottom wall, an opposed top wall and front, rear and end walls interposed between and marginally connecting the top and bottom walls. The respective rear walls of the sections are aligned and hingedly joined to provide an openable and closable box. The case is interiorly divided by builtin partitions and provides a plurality of compartments. All of the walls of the base and cover sections are transparent and the bottom wall of the cover section provides a lid for the open top of the base or tray section.

Inasmuch as the box is structurally designed and adapted for easy-to-handle and pocket use it is of necessity of compact and convenient size. Accordingly, and to the ends desired, the respective sections are provided with a plurality of compartments for systematic and selective storage of many and various supplies. Then, too, the compartments in the upper section or case are primarily intended to accommodate a plurality of inserta'ble and removable drawers which are capable of containing numerous sizes of split-shot and other sinkers and numerous other supplies.

Novelty is also predicated on one end portion of the cover or case section wherein the same is provided with a compartment which is expressly made to accommodate insertable and removable spools of nylon or equivalent fishing lines. An end portion of the bottom wall of the "ice case section is flexible and resilient and provides a closing flap which is normally closed but which can be manually opened to permit temporary access to be had to the journals in the compartment on which the spools are mounted for free rotation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a transparent pocket size tackle box constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention wherein the sections of the box are latched closed and wherein the box is provided at one end with a thong or the like with a clasp which is capable of attachment to the anglers belt or clothing as desired.

FIG. 2 is a view also in perspective and which shows in greater detail how the two sections are constructed.

FIG. 3 is a cross section on a suitably enlarged scale taken on the plane of the section line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in section and elevation taken through the spool compartment on the section line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 the bottom or base section is denoted at 6 and the complemental top or cover section is denoted at 8. Both sections are made from transparent plastic material. The base section 6 is of compartmental construction and open at the top and provides a tray or receiver. It comprises a flat bottom wall 10, upstanding marginal front and rear walls 12 and 14 and transverse end walls 16. The several dividers or partitions in the tray portion are denoted at 18 and 20, the partition 18 paralleling the rear wall 14 and providing an elongated compartment 22. The other partitions or dividers 20 define and provide a plurality of pocket-like smaller storage compartments conveniently denoted at 24. There are so many small items which anglers use that the articles may be covered as miscellaneous accessories and supplies (not shown). A cleat 26 is provided at one end and is in turn equipped with a headed keeper 28 for a pivoted latch 30 on a complemental keeper 32 carried by the case or cover section 8. The numeral 34 designates an extending guard or flange which serves a purpose to be later described. The cross pins 36 at the ends of the long mmpartment 22 cooperate with a latchable coil spring 38 to accommodatingly hold flies or other lures having leaders attached thereto (not shown). This tray section is also provided at one corner with holes 40 to accommodate a link 42 provided with a leather or an equivalent thong 44 having a terminal safety pin-type clasp 46 which can be attached to the anglers clothing in any suitable manner and used as a safety member to guard against displacement and loss of the box.

Taking up now the cover section 8 it is such that it spans and closes the open top of the tray 6. It embodies a bottom wall 48, top wall 50 (FIG. 3), a rear longitudinal wall 52, a partial or short front wall 54 and transverse end walls 56. With reference to FIG. 2 it will be noted that the major portion of the bottom wall 48 is fixed. There is however provided a transverse bend or fold line at 58 which defines a flap 60. This flap is flexible and resilient and is normally closed but can be caught hold of and swung to the open position shown in phantom lines in FIGS. 2 and 4 for a purpose to be later described.

The hollow space of the case of cover section 8 is unique in that the compartments are specially constructed and arranged. More particularly, the dividers or partitions are disposed in spaced apart parallel relation and extend transversely acros the hollow space. These partitions 62 are arranged to provide receivers or guides for the insertable and removable small article drawers 64. The guideways may vary in width and the companion drawers also vary in width and can therefore be of the graduated sizes shown in FIG. 2. Also the front ends of the drawers are capable of being withdrawn through the open marginal edge and to facilitate handling this step it will be evident that the edge portion 66 (FIG. 2) of the top wall is provided with longitudinally spaced notches 68 which are designated as niches to facilitate access to and opening of the sliding drawers. The short front wall 54 encloses a special compartment 70 (FIG. 4) which is located beyond the divider 72 and which compartment is provided with studs 74 which serve as journals for the hub portions of free-turning spools 76 each wound with a nylon or an equivalent fishing line 78 whose free end 80 is withdrawable through small friction-retaining holes provided therefor as is evident from FIG. 1 at the right. Referring again to the openable and closable pliant flap 60 it will be seen that the flap can be opened as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4 to permit access to be had to the spools 76 in the compartment 70.

By employing dividers or partitions in the manner shown and described, and using a multiplicity of sliding drawers, the limited space can be advantageously employed for accessibly storing numerous supplies and equipment. It is submitted, therefore, that the invention well serves the purposes for which it is intended.

It is obvious that the two sections 6 and 8 can be hingedly joined in the manner shown at 82 in FIG. 2; or, integral plastic hinges (not detailed) can be utilized for structurally joining the openable and closable sections. It should be further noted that the height of the front flange 34 on the wall 12 is such that it constitutes a guard or shield which spans and covers the ends of the sliding drawers to keep the drawers in place when the sections 6 and 8 are latched together in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in particular.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A tackle box of the class described comprising, in combination, a base section embodying a bottom wall,

from and rear longitudinal walls and transverse end walls,

open at its top and providing a multipurpose tray-like receiver, also having spaced coating interior dividers partitioning the receiver portion into a plurality of selectively usable pocket-like accessory compartments for accessible storage of fishhooks, lures and miscellaneous anglers supplies, a complemental cover section constituting a hollow box-like case of a size to span and close said open top, said case embodying a bottom wall, an opposed top wall and front, rear and end walls intervening between and marginally connecting said top and bottom walls, said rear wall being aligned with and hingedly joined to the rear wall of said base section, said front wall of said case extending for only a portion, said case being interiorly divided by built-in partitions providing a plurality of compartments having an open front closable by an upper part of said front wall of the base section, all of the walls of said base and cover sections being transparent, and the bottom wall of said cover section providing a lid for the open top of said base section.

2. The tackle box defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein all of said walls are made of crystal-clear sheet plastic material which is significantly fracture resistant and serviceable for practical use even when carelessly handled.

3. The tackle box defined in and according to claim I, and wherein one of the compartments in the receiver portion of said base is relatively long, is provided at its respective ends with cross pins and between its ends and said pins with a coiled holddown spring for flies having attached leaders.

4. The tackle box defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein at least one of the compartments in said receiver portion adjacent the respective rear walls is relatively long and provided with self-contained means for placement and accessible retention of a plurality of fishing flies having complemental attached leaders.

5. The tackle box defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein a major portion of said upper part of the front wall of said base section is provided with an elongated upstanding flange which serves as a guard and protectively covers and shields a confronting marginal front portion of said cover section.

6. The tackle box defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein at least one of the compartments at one end of the case is provided with journals, said one compartment containing free turning spools having fishing lines spooled thereon, the adjacent end wall having restricted line accommodating orifices through which free end portions of the respective lines are slidingly threaded for withdrawable use.

7. A tackle box of the class described comprising, in combination, a base section embodying a bottom wall, front and rear longitudinal walls and transverse end walls, open at its top and providing a multipurpose traylike receiver, also having spaced coacting interior dividers partitioning the receiver portion into a plurality of selectively usable pocket-like accessory compartments for accessible storage of fishhooks, lures and miscellaneous anglers supplies, a complemental cover section constituting a hollow box-like case of a size to span and close said open top, said case embodying a bottom wall, an opposed top wall and front, rear and end walls intervening between and marginally connecting said top and bottom walls, said rear wall being aligned with and hingedly joined to the rear wall of said base section, said front wall of said case extending for only a portion, said case being interiorly divided by built-in partitions providing a plurality of compartments having an open front closable by an upper part of said front wall of the base section, said case being elongated in plan and said dividing partitions being secured to extend transversely across the hollow space of the enclosed case and being spaced apart in parallel relationship and defining sliding drawer encasing guides, said guides opening through the front marginal edge of the case, and a plurality of drawers slidingly mounted in their respective guides and accessible for use by way of said front marginal edge.

8. The tackle box defined in and according to claim 7, and wherein at least one of the compartments at one end of the case is provided with journals, said one compartment containing free turning spools having fishing lines spooled thereon, the adjacent end wall having restricted line accommodating orifices through which free end portions of the respective lines are slidingly threaded for withdrawable use.

9. The tackle box defined in and according to claim 8, and wherein a major portion of said upper part of the front wall of said base section is provided with an elongated upstanding fiange which serves as a guard and protectively covers and shields a confronting marginal front portion of said cover section, whereby to normally retentively but and retain the drawers within the confines of said drawer guides when the cover section is closed, the forward marginal edge of the top wall of the case having finger niches aligned with said guides and drawers.

10. The tackle box defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein one corner portion of the tray-like receiver is provided with a ring, said ring being in turn provided with a safety thong and said thong having a free end ing of the angler for safety purposes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1951 Burden 4357.5 11/1955 Nelson 4357.5

6/1956 Seals 4357.5 11/1964 Vinas 20616 X 10/1967 Fee 43--57.5 X

HUGH R. CHAMBLEE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

